Page 61 of Broken by my Bully

The thought should make me leave. Instead, I can’t wait to step deeper inside. Although this house belongs to Professor Rooke, I’m seeing strong evidence of someone else.

Off campus,inhere, he’s Bastian…and it shows.

The hard, geometric lines outside the building are drawn inside too. Angular furniture. A massive central fireplace connects the flat, featureless ceiling to the poured concrete floor. But so many textures soften those harsh edges.

A mottled fur throw slung haphazardly over the sleek couch.

Velvet scatter cushions.

The cream-colored fibers of a thick rug.

And that’s just the living area. There’s a large kitchen to one side, a black stone island declaring its border.

On the other side, the fireplace creates a second border. I don’t see any other doors, so I assume that’s for the sleeping area?

It’s giving eccentric billionaire bachelor vibes, and I’m so here for it.

Bastian was already inside by the time I reached the door. He’s in the kitchen, and I stand in the doorway watching him stride over to the gas range to flick on the burner. Moving effortlessly to one of the frosted-glass cabinets to retrieve two mugs.

He pauses, as if feeling my eyes on him. Turns, one hand still on the cabinet’s handle.

“Kai knows where I stay, Haven. If you go missing, he’ll be the first to know.”

Icough as if I swallowed a fly.

Yeah, Bastian. If I went missing, Kai would be dancing on my empty grave.

I shake off the thought and step inside Professor Rooke’s house. But I don’t get far.

“Shoes,” he says, not looking up from the stove.

It’s not a request. The casual authority in his voice makes something deep inside clench. I want to argue just to see what he’d do, but the pristine white carpet stops me.

“Good girl,” he murmurs when I comply, and I hate how those two words make me flush.

“Do me a favor and turn on that fireplace? It’s always so damn cold in here.”

Did he see me shiver?

I turn to the imposing wall of textured stone, throwing Bastian a panicked look.

“With the power of my mind?”

“There’s a control panel to the right. Just press the power button.”

I pad over to the fireplace, my entire body coming alive at the feel of the thick, fluffy carpet under my toes.

Even college professors are better off in this hellhole than Riversiders.

As much as I want to lean into that spiteful thought, I’m enjoying myself too much. Even trying to figure out the control panel Bastian directed me to is fun.

I stab experimentally at a button. There’s a whoosh beside me, and I hear Bastian chuckle from the kitchen as I fall on my ass, trying to get away from the sudden burst of flames.

Dramatic, sure, but I almost lost my fucking eyebrows.

Bastian’s chuckle from the kitchen is dark, amused. “Careful, Miss Lee. Wouldn’t want to add third-degree burns to your injuries.”

My lips tighten.